


A Sheriff's Civic Duty

by lemonmangosorbet



Category: Twin Peaks
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Post-Season/Series 02, thoughtful gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-06 05:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14050287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonmangosorbet/pseuds/lemonmangosorbet
Summary: Long-distance relationships are hard work, but it was a commitment both Albert and Harry had agreed to when they started their relationship in the years after Cooper's disappearance. Sometimes it could be weeks until they were able to see each other again. In times like these, thoughtful gifts made the wait in between visits more bearable.





	A Sheriff's Civic Duty

“I’m not in the habit of playing your personal secretary, but when I saw where this was from, I thought it was important that I bring it to you straight away.”

 

Diane was stood in the doorframe; she had entered Albert’s office without knocking, which she knew he loathed, and yet it gave her great pleasure to disobey and irritate him. In her hands she held a parcel wrapped in brown paper, not very thick; Albert would say just a tad larger than A4.

 

He was getting ready to snap at Diane about knocking before she came in, but he couldn’t form the words when he noticed the stamps on said parcel; images of those familiar mountains and douglas firs. He knew who’d sent it and his heart skipped a beat when he thought about it.

 

Albert took the parcel from Diane’s hands without thanking her. She stood and waited; he expected she wanted her thanks.

 

“Thank you.” he grumbled.

 

“Oh, no thanks necessary,” she smiled, but she didn’t leave the office.

 

Albert glared at her expectantly, waiting for her to make her departure, but she added,

 

“Well, aren’t you going to open it? It could be urgent.”

 

Her smile was sly, her eyes sparkled with mischief, and Albert knew that _she also knew_ who the parcel was from.

 

“Do you really think I’d open this in front of you? It could be confidential! Go on, get out of my office. Don’t you have actual work you should be doing?”

 

Albert barked at her, but Diane’s grin didn’t fade. She’d flustered him, and that was more than enough to please her. She left without closing the door behind her, so Albert was forced to get up. Before he slammed it shut he shouted down the corridor about her needing to close doors behind her because they didn't live in a barn.

 

* * *

 

 

Albert didn’t work late that night, well, he didn’t work as late as he would have; he was eager to get home and open the parcel.

 

He knew it was from Harry, and that only encouraged his eagerness. It had been a while since they’d seen each other; Albert had been tied up with a case outside of Seattle for a few weeks, and when he got back and called Harry, he was busy with his own case in Twin Peaks. If Harry was working late nights and falling asleep on the couch in his office rather than his bed at home, Albert knew it was serious and didn’t want to intrude. Although they hadn’t seen each other in weeks, they spoke often on the phone; but this, the package, was something new.

 

Albert removed the brown parcel paper to reveal two pieces of cardboard sandwiched together and held in place by a few bits of tape. Carefully he peeled the tape off, taking his time despite his eagerness and curiosity. Once enough of the tape was peeled off, Albert was able to remove the top piece of cardboard. His eyes widened at the sight before him.

 

It was Harry; not photographs of him, but _drawings_ of him, _several drawings_. And he wasn’t wearing his usual attire either, he was completely in the nude, and some of the sketches made this clear in _explicit detail_. Albert could feel his ears burning and he cursed under his breath to himself. He could picture Harry’s smug grin at knowing the effect these drawings were having on him.

 

Albert admired the sketches for a while. These had been drawn by more than one person, and it was evident from the different styles. One style stood out as familiar to Albert; it was that of Deputy Brennan. He’d drawn a full body portrait of Harry, but also a close-up of just his face. Andy’s art had really improved from the suspect sketches Albert had seen him produce for the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department.

 

The portrait did justice to Harry’s handsome features that a camera couldn’t always capture; the sharpness of his cheekbones and jawline, the softness of his hair and eyes, and his lips… Albert felt himself getting distracted.

 

There was no written explanation contained in the parcel for the drawings, so Albert called Harry. First he tried his home, but there was no answer. Albert couldn’t help feeling a bit dismayed at the realisation that Harry was working late again.

 

He tried the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s station, and sure enough, Lucy picked up the phone.

 

“Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department. Lucy Brennan speaking, how may I help you?”

 

“Put me through to Sheriff Truman.”

 

“May I ask who’s calling please?”

 

Albert sighed. He wanted to snap at her; surely she must recognise his voice by now? But Albert restrained himself and replied, “Albert Rosenfield. Special Agent Albert Rosenfield.”

 

“Wait a moment please Mr Rosenfield and I’ll transfer your call.”

 

Albert sighed again while he waited on hold, imagining Lucy explaining to Harry in about ten different ways who had called for him.

 

“Albert?”

 

Harry’s voice snapped Albert from his frustration, and there it was again, the little skip in his heartbeat at hearing his lover’s voice.

 

“Hello Harry.” he replied.

 

For the next few minutes they exchanged the usual pleasantries. _How are you? How’s work?_ When Harry spoke he sounded tired; he was more than happy to listen to Albert list his annoyances from the day rather than speak himself.

 

When there was a lull in their conversation, Albert got his chance to interject,

 

“You know Harry, there is a particular reason for my call this evening.”

 

“Hmm, is there?”

 

“I received an _interesting_ package at work today.”

 

“Oh, do tell.”

 

Albert could practically hear the smirk in Harry’s voice over the line. It seemed to perk him up from his tiredness of the workday, and Albert was pleased at that.

 

“You’re lucky that no one in the mail room opened it before it got to me. They might have thought it was a suspicious package.”

 

This made Harry laugh, and Albert smiled at the sound; it was music to his ears.

 

“So what’s the explanation for these Harry?” he glanced across to the dining table where the drawings were spread out.

 

“Well, the Twin Peaks Life Drawing Society had their model drop out last minute. I considered it my civic duty as Sheriff to help them out.”

 

There was a snort of laughter from Albert,

 

“Makes a change to your usual routine of saving kittens from trees.”

 

Harry chuckled at that and explained further,

 

“I’m not much of an artist myself, but I thought some of those drawings were pretty good. I managed to convince a few of the guys in the Society to part with them; thought you might appreciate them more than me.”

 

“Hmm, I do.”

 

Albert wished Harry wasn’t at work. He wanted to talk more intimately with Harry but knew he would be reluctant to do so in his office. The Sheriff’s office was private enough; Albert had learned from experience on one of his visits to Twin Peaks. However, Albert had also learned that Harry was not comfortable talking about their private matters over the phone when he was at work. If it was something that made Harry uncomfortable, Albert was not going to push it.

 

“I miss you.” Harry’s voice cut through Albert’s train of thought.

 

“I miss you too. Thank you for the drawings Harry, they’re very much appreciated. Tell Brennan that his skills at capturing the human physical form are vastly improving.”

 

“I will.” Harry’s voice was gentle, and Albert could picture him smiling at the fact that Albert was able to give someone a compliment, for once, rather than a snide remark dripping with sarcasm.

 

There was another pause in the conversation, and Albert could only think of one way to fill it,

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you too. Wow Albert, I might have to send you more drawings from the next class if they have this much of an effect on you.”

 

“Don’t you dare make this a habit Harry. I get enough shit from Diane without you sending love letters to my place of work.”

 

Harry laughed again and Albert smiled to himself. It wasn’t always easy to spend so much time apart, but little surprises like this made the waits in between visits easier.

**Author's Note:**

> My first published Trufield fic :') ....but I'm sure it won't be my last :3c
> 
> Kudos, comments & feedback appreciated <3
> 
> I [tumble](https://lemonmangosorbet.tumblr.com/). I [tweet](https://twitter.com/lemonmangoes).


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